A Golden World
by CGOLChris
Summary: Where a god dies in one world, he lives in the next. Where gravity leads a father towards a son. The World's Golden Experience is at hand. (Chapter 2 updated)
1. From The Ashes

Shamed and disgraced, his fall at the hands of that Joestar still left a bitter taste in his mouth long after the disastrous event happened. He was supposed to have killed that damned nuisance. He was supposed to have conquered the world rule it with his iron fists. He was supposed to have achieved Heaven.

But fate, the gravity of the world itself has forsaken him. Has left him as nothing but a husk of what he once was. The once vampiric blonde reduced to nothing but ash. Yet luck has decided to show mercy. And if not luck, then by his sheer hatred and determination to survive. It took months, his ashes melding together to become a viscous mass of what little blood had remained of his body that wasn't harvested by Jotaro. Feeding upon whatever vermin that's unfortunate enough to pass by.

Months pass, and slowly but surely, the form of DIO regenerates. Instinctually moving to stay away from the sun's radiance, hiding within the shadows like some mangy mutt within the alleys of the Egyptian slums. Little by little his cells quickly reproduce and repair themselves, until at least, his head was reformed. It was a grueling and at times agonizing wait, all that was left to fuel him being the anger his consciousness held, and the remaining healing blood of Jonathan Joestar.

If there was one thing he regrets after his defeat, even to the fact that it was to a member of the Joestar bloodline, it was that the body of Jonathan was destroyed. He may have hated the gentle goliath, yet he still had respect for the one who called him brother. Even if it was a minute amount, it was respect all the same. Now, he has nothing left to remember him by, other than his already tarnished memories.

He was forced to recreate his body from the ground up, thankfully it at least proved easier due to the fact he didn't need vital organs in the way mortals did, as well as the poisoned yet still efficient regenerative ability of Hamon and his vampiric capabilities. All that the great, the once great DIO needed now was blood. As he continued to scrounge and devour tiny morsels, his mass grew, and the more motor control and power he regains. His new body, when it was complete, was what he finally considered to he perfect. Under his own control, perfectly melded with his soul. No longer was he inhibited by the Hamon from Jonathon, now he was instead rendered immune to it. And with it, he takes a step out into the sun. Other than the temporary steam coming off in waves, he felt minuscule pain and burn from his once greatest nemesis. The sun itself now bows to DIO!

A victorious cry of Wryyy! could be heard all throughout Cairo that day. The legend of the Demon of Egypt was then born to explain all the unnatural phenomenon that has happened within the country. Some say you can still see the silhouette of the demon within the ruined mansion, and was regarded as a place where once a person enters, they are never seen again.

Years pass, and DIO was finally ready to crawl out of the depths. But he knew that if he revealed himself, he would be hunted down once again by that damned Jotaro. The thought of another being with the same Stand as he leaves a taste of bile in his throat. He was unable to summon The World however, no, he was still far too weak. Instead, he had to fall back on the abilities he once utilized more than a century ago. With his new body, he practiced in controlling his icy potential once again. Freezing and refreezing his victims. Be they dogs, cats, or people. Feeding upon them with his nails, then discarding them for the crows or beasts within the various bodies of water.

He must find whatever remains of his assassins. Though, he senses most if not all are dead already. The world's gravity has lessened considerably in his absence in this area, and so he must migrate. Egypt was no longer suitable for him anyway. No, he'll head north, towards civilization. Perhaps Greece or Italy. He'll need to find some way to continue his pursuit of Heaven. He must contact Pucci, but in such a way that would leave nothing to link it back to him. It wouldn't do for the troublesome Speedwagon Foundation, the memory of that buffoon from England still gives DIO a headache, to find any leads that may incur an investigation. Least of all for them to make the correct assumption that he still lives. For now, he must take upon a new identity. A new name.

Diego will do for now. At least when speaking of himself in public, he shall call himself Diego. In the matters of the soul and the pursuit of his justice and heaven, he will forever be DIO. The world shall be ruled by that name, branded into the beings that will serve under him as nothing but cattle to the slaughter. Sheep to the wolf. Slaves to a god.

That was years ago. Through that frame, the name of DIO was left to fade within the sands of time. Realizing this, DIO took it upon himself to make preparations. Firstly, his journal. Aggravatingly, DIO would find ample amount of time to write within it throughout his rekindling of his strength. He writes of his thoughts as he always did. Of whatever relationships he's had prior to his defeats and his thoughts on their fates. The coordinates, the new moon, of Pucci. Yet now, he has a new goal. Enyaba once told him that her acquisition of the Stand Arrows stem from a boy named Diavolo. It seemed to now be time for him to investigate. Perhaps if the boy still had an Arrow in possession, he would be able to use it to either return The World to his side, or create a new Stand from its ashes.

DIO sighs as he closes the leather bound booklet, and slides it into his jacket. Due to his circumstances, he found it punctual to have a change of style. Instead of his preference of yellow over black, he now wore a plain gray shirt under a brown cloak with black pants. For the most part, he should blend in well with the populace. The more he blends in, the safer he would be. For now.

He travels his way north, making sure to take the less noticeable paths towards the Mediterranean sea. Using his skills to quietly get rid of those that stood in his path and destroying the bodies. Using his ice to completely freeze others entirely, then shattering their bodies into minute pieces. Once the day ends, there would be nothing left but evaporation.

It just so happens that his most recent victim was some sleazy fool that reminded him too much of his late sire Dario. Seeing that in a drunken stupor in the dead of night the fat buffoon approached DIO and accused him of something or the other. DIO didn't much care, but when a gnat posters you, you tend to swat it away. So that's what he did, a clean knife slicing at his neck was enough to silence the man for good.

As it turns out, the man had a ticket for Italy within his stained jacket. A bit dirty but still usable to redeem. While DIO would much rather use a boat, or some other mode of transportation that he was at least familiar with, he decides to not tempt the hand of fate to sway against him. Somehow, he knew he was supposed to go to Italy. As if gravity itself was drawing him there. It seems a powerful Stand user is calling out to him once again, and this time he will have it under his thumb. A new weapon against the Joestar bloodline, one that nobody will know about apart from him.

The most dangerous enemy, is the one hiding in plain sight.


	2. A Dream

My name is Giorno Giovanna, and I had a strange dream.

Laying upon a field of grass and blooming orchids, with rose petals falling onto my cheek. I remember swatting them away with the back of my hand as I stared up at the sky. The endless blue reflecting in my eyes.

I do not recall what I was feeling at the time, perhaps a strange peace. Unbridled anger. A sense of retribution. I can never be sure. What I can recall, is how my hand tightened into a fist as I crushed what I believed to be a stopwatch, only for it to transform into a bumblebee as it slipped from my fingers as I stood.

The grassy sea was large. Larger than anything I've ever seen. Flowers and butterflies littered the ground, fluttering from place to place. It was tranquil. Peaceful. Yet I knew it wouldn't last.

The next I tilted my head to the sky, it was tinged in grays and blacks. Dark clouds rolling over and blanketing the daylight. The smell of sweet nectar and fresh flowers soon replaced by the metallic coppery scent of lightning.

It felt as if the world itself had frozen still. The colorful insects slowed to a stop around me, and wind halted, yet the storming clouds continued its advance. When I look towards the horizon, I see naught but a castle etched in the distance.

I felt determination, unlike any I may have had before as I walked towards it. Each step leaving indents on the ground, though they weren't mine. In fact, at some point I was no longer myself. In my place, there was the visage of my Stand, Gold Experience. His face, my face? Ours? Regardless, it was set in a neutral glare. Lips in a thin line as the world resumes behind us as we move forward. Frogs begin to croak and bees proceed to buzz once again while the castle peers ever closer in our sight.

For a second, I thought I saw someone within the castle. Outfitted in gold, and gears trailing behind his large form with bright sunlight yellow hair similar to my own. Behind him, a being seemingly made of pure gold, only to flash into a heavenly white before fading.

Afterwards, I was woken up. Back within my apartment, the sun barely peeks from the horizon as its rays shine through my curtains to sprawl over my cheek.

I shift myself up from the bed, pushing my legs to settle over the side as I touch my face. Sweat. I pull my fingers away and stare at the moisture, why was I sweating? And what was this feeling? As if lead was weighing upon my heart, making it difficult to make even breaths.

I was nervous about something. Yet I don't know what. I just knew that my soul felt like it was preparing myself for something, and whatever that may be, I would have to be ready for it.

But until then, I'll need to start the day. Perhaps I'll try my work at the airport today, I'm sure there are tourists that would need assistance entering the city. I'll also need to provide my payment to the corrupt law enforcement to do so.

To another day.

Habits were hard to break. Even harder if you've kept these habits for centuries. For DIO, or rather Diego, it was near hellish. Despite his newfound immunity, he would always find himself shifting away from the sun's rays after more than a century of absence of its life giving glow.

It made him feel weak. He abhorred it. His continued tentative reactions as so much as a speck of light hits his finger. Nothing but a thin stream of smoke or steam, then his body repairs itself and he can walk among the day no different than the mortals beneath his view.

Imagine how he felt, as his crimson eyes shot open, as he felt the sun hit at his face through the window from within the plane. Illuminating his features, as he recoils for the barest of seconds from instinct of all things! Pathetic.

With a low hiss, he pulls down the blinds to the window. He had no such trivialities in the unneeded, and staring out at the sun as it rises from the clouds was on that list. Rubbing his fingers against his head, the throbbing in his cranium a reminder of that haunting sucker punch from Star Platinum.

He absolutely hates just the mere thought of that name had him on edge, to the point where he was near crushing the arm rest. That Stand, and it's equally disgusting user was the cause of this. The cause of lord DIO's suffering. And he will get his due, even if he had to perish again to do it.

Though perhaps he should be considered lucky. Because of their connection to Jonathon's body, the two Joestars managed to track him down. At least now that his body is destroyed, there's no longer any bloodline string of fate connecting them. For now, Diego will be safe from the likes of the two. Now, fate will bend to his will.

The plane is approaching Italy soon, and Diego must be prepared. The way to Heaven will be completed, no matter the cost. Then, he'll have his vengeance against the Joestar clan.


End file.
